That Sarah Silverman tweet about the buffer zone gives me an idea. Every clinic should have a cordon of pro-choice people around it holding signs like she suggests and preventing the anti-choice people from getting to the patients.

About the New Yorker cartoon with the internet comment-maker – I recently saw a high school classmate who works at the Wash Post. I told her I happened to read one of her articles, about some 2010 census results, was looking at the comments, and was amazed to see the ugly right wing comments about a fairly non-political topic. She said she never looks at the comments and her editors never look at the comments. I guess it’s just a way for people to vent and to feel connected to the newspaper so they keep coming back, an emotional investment and free content for the paper..

I think comments should be turned off online articles. What us the point if they are not read by the authors or company. Comments have become a breeding ground for hate speech. It should have a thumbs up or down…it was liked or unliked. I don’t want to know your hateful thoughts or off topic remarks.

The Republicans and the media are sure trying to label this immigrate problem Obama’s Katrina. More bull shit from them. Last thing I remember American citizens died, lost their homes, everything they own because of Katrina.

Brazilians, all 201M of them must be feeling the Torture bestowed…..oops, imposed on them by the German Machine. Worldwide public humiliation. Pele must be fuming. At 73/74yrs of age, he can do better for Brazil today.

Yesterday I had a fascinating discussion with a Mexican American worker who is trying to help Mexican immigrants of all ages make the transition to SE PA. Three big barriers every immigrant faces are: learning English; learning how to qualify for a drivers’ license; and learning computer skills–all of which are the crucial “must haves” for a decent job. Some states allow those who do not have a SS number to get a drivers’ license. (see below) PA is not one of them. People who work with immigrants are working against difficult odds with scarce resources. It we want to make a long-term difference with Latinos, we need to be the ones helping with English lessons, drivers’ licenses and computer skills. A group of us have been working for the last three years to reach out to those who are already qualified to vote, but I realize now we need to be building the longer term relationships with those who will be voters one day. While the GOP produces ugly images of shouting at children or refusing to deal with immigration reform, Democrats have to be in there working, helping people and showing the kind of compassion and empathy that defines who we are.

I went home as I usually do for lunch, turned on BBC1, and Germany was ahead 1-0. So far so good. And then I watched the Brazilians play like a Sunday pickup team. 5-0??? It’s like the scene in Quadrophenia where the protagonist discovers that his hero is just a bellboy. Completely smashing illusions.